Network for Computational Nanotechnology - NanoBIO Node

该提案旨在建立伊利诺伊州重新配置的计算纳米技术网络（NCN）的纳米bio节点。提议的节点将创建广泛的在线资源，目的是将NCN网络平台定位为各种计算和实验纳米生物社区协作交互的焦点。尽管该提案涵盖了广泛的活动范围，但最重要的目标是通过完成一组四个高优先级技术目标，将节点作为迈向纳米生物bio生态系统的第一步：1)开发关键的在线计算工具，作为纳米生物bio设备模拟和实验验证的基本构建块；2)开发连接不同规模模拟的工作流程，为纳米生物器件设计提供可扩展的在线环境；3)创建变革性的生物学教育资源，通过交互式模拟和可视化注入现代纳米科学概念；4)展示了信息共享和知识发现的新范式，为可搜索的计算和实验纳米生物信息学数据集提供了创新的可扩展数据库。为了优化现有资源，nanoBIO节点规划策略是在网络中组织一个网络，与校园内的关键生物工程和生命科学小组联系，然后与相关的IGERT项目、多所大学中心和工业合作建立伙伴关系，以创建一个全国性的互动结构。与加州大学默塞德分校建立了重要的合作伙伴关系，以利用现有的研究和教育合作，并利用其基于计算生物学的本科课程。加州大学默塞德分校和伊利诺伊大学加州分校分子与细胞生物学学院合作设计引人入胜的材料，将推动NCN成为一个革命性的生物课堂环境，将研究与教育结合起来，激发本科生发展跨学科思维，反映出IGERT的使命。这些丰富的在线资源也将促进K-12教育中纳米生物概念的获取和理解。为了解决对设备和系统的关注，nanoBIO节点将与UIUC在计算生物学、生物设备制造和信息技术方面具有尖端专业知识的实验室合作，这些实验室包括：贝克曼研究所、微纳米技术实验室、基因组生物学研究所和国家超级计算应用中心。加州大学默塞德分校还将在培养和指导合格的、代表性不足的学生从事纳米生物学科方面发挥重要作用。智力优势：纳米生物器件和系统的设计者和制造商面临的一个巨大挑战是缺乏集成的计算和训练工具来解决多种长度尺度和物理复杂性，需要将生物学与工程联系起来。NCN建立一个专门的纳米生物信息学节点为解决这一问题提供了一个令人兴奋的机会，并制定了一个全国性的全面计划，以支持纳米生物信息学的研究和教育。NCN纳米生物信息学节点的愿景是形成一个活跃的社区，加速创建纳米科学和纳米工程领域的多学科计算工具和变革性培训材料，用于设计新型纳米生物信息学设备和系统，这将对我们的生活质量和环境产生积极影响。这一努力将通过促进培训对人力资源的发展产生重大影响。在线工具的可用性也将有利于工业，特别是需要获得专门资源的小企业和纳米生物技术初创企业。更广泛的影响：控制卫生保健费用和改善服务的紧迫性，提供安全和充足的粮食供应的必要性，以及作为可持续能源战略一部分的高效生物燃料生产的需要，都表明生物学是未来的关键科学，纳米技术是推动者。nanoBIO节点的最终目标是为发现适合nanoBIO应用的设备创造资源，并培养下一代将纳米obio技术从研究转化为市场的领导者。这些都是实现医疗保健行业持续转型和振兴的关键步骤，对在美国重要的制造业创造新的高科技就业机会具有广泛的潜在影响。为了实现这一愿景，需要一批具有多种物理和生命科学学科专业知识的新一代科学家和工程师。该节点渴望成为真正创新的跨学科教育机会的催化剂，提出了一个令人兴奋的教育计划，为多方面和综合的K-to-PhD路径奠定了基础。

This proposal aims to establish the nanoBIO node of the reconfigured Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN) at Illinois. The proposed node will create extensive online resources with the purpose to position the NCN Cyber Platform as the focal point for collaborative interactions of a diverse computational and experimental nanoBIO community. Although the proposal covers a comprehensive range of activities, the overriding goal is to organize the node as the first step towards a nanoBIO eco-system, by completing a set of four high-priority technical objectives: 1) development of critical online computational tools as essential building blocks for nanoBIO device simulation and experimental validation; 2) development of workflows linking simulations at different scales and leading to an extensible online environment for nanoBIO device design; 3) creation of transformative educational resources for biology, infusing modern nanoscience concepts via interactive simulation and visualization; 4) demonstration of a new paradigm for information sharing and knowledge discovery, with innovative scalable databases for searchable collections of computational and experimental nanoBIO datasets.To optimize the available resources, the nanoBIO node planning strategy has been to organize a network within the network, reaching out to key bioengineering and life science groups on campus, followed by forging partnerships with related IGERT programs, multi-university centers, and industrial collaborations to create a national fabric of interactions. A key partnership has also been established with the University of California-Merced to capitalize on existing collaborations in research and education and to leverage their computational biology based undergraduate programs. A cooperative effort to design engaging material between UC-Merced and the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology at UIUC will drive the NCN to become a revolutionary biology classroom environment that integrates research with education and stimulates undergraduates to develop interdisciplinary thinking, mirroring the IGERT mission. These rich online resources will also facilitate the access and understanding of nanoBIO concepts in K-12 education. To address the focus on devices and systems, the nanoBIO node will engage laboratories at UIUC with cutting-edge expertise in computational biology, bio-device fabrication and information technology, these laboratories include: the Beckman Institute, the Micro & Nanotechnology Laboratory, the Institute for Genomic Biology, and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. UC Merced will also play an important role in creating and directing qualified underrepresented students towards pursuing careers in nanoBIO disciplines.Intellectual Merit: An immense challenge faced by designers and manufacturers of nanoBIO devices and systems is the lack of integrated computational and training tools addressing the multiple length scales and the physical complexity needed to bridge biology with engineering. The establishment of a dedicated nanoBIO node of NCN provides an exciting opportunity to address this and formulates a comprehensive plan with nation-wide reach to support nanoBIO research and education. The vision for this NCN nanoBIO node is to form an active community that accelerates the creation of multidisciplinary computational tools and transformative training materials in nanoscience and nanoengineering for the design of novel nanoBIO devices and systems that will have a positive influence on our quality of life and environment. This effort will have a major impact on the development of human resources by facilitating training. The availability of online tools will also benefit industry, particularly small businesses and nanoBIO start-ups needing access to specialized resources.Broader Impact: The urgency to contain health care costs and improve services, the imperatives to provide safe and plentiful food supplies, and the need for efficient bio-fuel production as part of a sustainable energy strategy all point to biology as the pivotal science of the future, and nanotechnology as the enabler. The ultimate goal of the nanoBIO node is to create resources for the discovery of devices suitable for nanoBIO applications, and to train the next generation of leaders who will translate nanoBIO technologies from research to the marketplace. These are crucial steps toward sustained transformation and revitalization of the health care industry, with broad potential impact on the creation of new high-tech jobs in an important manufacturing sector in the US. A new breed of scientists and engineers, with expertise across multiple physical and life science disciplines, is needed to sustain this vision. The node aspires to be the catalysts for truly innovative interdisciplinary education opportunities, putting forward an exciting educational plan which lays the foundations for a multi-faceted and integrated K-to-PhD pathway.